Becoming Who We Are Destined to Be: Joy

StoneBridge Community Church

Interim Pastor Neal Nybo

Locations & Times

StoneBridge Community Church
4832 Cochran St, Simi Valley, CA 93063, USA
Saturday 5:30 PM, Sunday 9:00 AM, Sunday 10:30 AM
StoneBridge Growth Groups
Simi Town Center Way, Simi Valley, CA 93065, USA
Sunday 11:59 PM

Online Connection Card

Thanks for joining us today! Follow this link to our online Connection Card where you can let us know you were here and share any prayer concerns.

http://bit.ly/2z61Wwi

1. We are destined for ...

Expand

We are destined for something more

Personal Reflection / Growth Group Questions

1. Have you ever felt like there was more for you to do or to be in life?

2. Who have you known who most lived into a new transformed life?

Copy

Personal Reflection / Growth Group Questions

Expand

1. Have you ever felt like there was more for you to do or to be in life?

2. Who have you known who most lived into a new transformed life?

2. We are destined for ...

Expand

We are destined for freedom

Galatians 5:1, 7-8, 13, 16 NIV

Read

The Text In Context

The question of whether new Christians had to follow the old law was a hot button topic in the early church. Paul, the author of Galatians makes it clear that Christ has set us free. Here is a little more about the text.

https://www.bibleref.com/Galatians/5/Galatians-5-1.html

Personal Reflection / Growth Growth Discussion

Expand

1. Are you familiar with any examples of churches with strict requirements?

2. Read through this list: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Do you feel a sense of freedom thinking about developing these character traits?

3. What does the rest of the verse mean when it says: There is no law against these things!

3. We are destined to ...

Expand

We are destined to become like Jesus

Galatians 5:22-24 MSG

Read

The Text In Context

Dallas Willard puts the fruit of the Spirit in the context of soul care.

http://www.dwillard.org/articles/individual/personal-soul-care

Destined to be fruitful in our faith

Becoming more like Christ, having his character traits is our destiny. Here is more about what it looks like to have the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.

https://www.compellingtruth.org/fruitful-Christian.html

Personal Reflection / Growth Growth Discussion

Expand

1. How would seeking to develop the character traits of the fruit of the spirit be a way to care for our souls, as Dallas Willard suggests in the "text in context" link above?

2. Which of these nine descriptions from the Message translation is most interesting to you?

4. Joyful like ...

Expand

Joyful like Jesus

Luke 18:15-17 NLT

Read

The Text In Context

Here is a description of how children were perceived in Jesus day and a little more about the text in Luke.

http://www.jesuswalk.com/lessons/18_15-17.htm

Transactional vs Transcendent

Pastor Neal talked about our culture being transactional while life and joy are transcendent. Here is a link to a blog talking about this difference.

https://bit.ly/2HKc9rV

Personal Reflection / Growth Growth Discussion

Expand

1. Describe a time growing up when you felt exuberant about life.

2. Talk about living in a transactional culture and society. Can you give any examples?

3. Why is transcendence important? How does feeling joyful transcendent?

5. Express ...

Expand

Express gratitude

John 6:11 “Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks (before any were multiplied), he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.”

Ways to develop joy

Gratefully, seeking to create joy is a popular topic today. Here is an article with several practical ways to develop joy.

https://bit.ly/2FxRp11

Personal Reflection / Growth Growth Discussion

Expand

1. Besides the example given in the sermon, describe a time Jesus expressed gratitude.

2. When have you expressed gratitude to someone? How did it make them feel?

3. How does expressing gratitude increase our joy?

6. Find ...

Expand

Find purpose

John 18:37 Jesus answered, "For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth.

More about finding purpose

Jesus was very clear about his purpose.

https://bit.ly/2Wx34WK

Personal Reflection / Growth Growth Discussion

Expand

1. Do you have a sense of purpose? What is it?

2. can a sense of purpose be just for a season of life? Can you think of an example?

3. How would you recommend someone pursue a purpose if they don't have one and want one?

4. How does having a purpose increase our joy?

7. Double down on

Expand

Double down on good relationships

John 21: 15 After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?

Personal Reflection / Growth Growth Discussion

Expand

1. Where do we see Jesus doubling down on relationships?

2. When have relationships been important in your life?

3. When have you been important in someone else's life?

4. How do significant relationships increase our joy?

Next Steps

Expand

This week, begin every morning with this prayer that John Stott prayed every day.

Holy Spirit, I pray that this day you will fill me with yourself and cause your fruit to ripen in my life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Cultivating Joy

6 Days

Read Plan

By joining a Growth Group, you're joining community! Take a look at the Spring schedule printed in the bulletin and/or contact Barbara Waite (bjwaite@projects-yourway.com) to sign up today.

Copy

Come share some love with our neighbors at Ashlee Manor by donating groceries, doing odd jobs, preparing some food for lunch, or just visiting with a lonely friend. For more information or to sign-up, please visit the ministry table after service.

Copy

Social Media @ StoneBridge

We encourage you to use Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other social media to share images, quotes, links, or what you've learned from this week's message and YouVersion message notes. Social media can also be a great way of inviting your friends to worship and special events.

https://www.facebook.com/stonebridgesimi/

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/stonebridgesimi/

Secure online giving

Thanks for partnering with us in our mission to reach people with the good news of God's love, to make disciples, and to send them out. Secure online giving via PayPal.

http://bit.ly/2glYW8E

Subscribe to our podcast

Subscribe to the StoneBridge Community Church podcast on iTunes and you'll never miss a message. Updates automatically.

http://apple.co/1RbdqkK

Watch us on YouTube

While there is no substitute for worshipping God with others, if you happen to miss a message you can always catch us on YouTube. We invite you to subscribe to our channel.

http://bit.ly/22uE939

Encouraging and challenging you to seek intimacy with God every day.

Ministry

Useful Links

A digital ministry of

Choose your language

Choose your language

Encouraging and challenging you to seek intimacy with God every day.

Ministry

Useful Links

A digital ministry of